It won’t be the last time playing at Legion Field this season, but the Fort Morgan baseball team chose to honor seniors Trey McBride, Bobby Tolson, Felix Ortega and Jimmy Keller in the final regular season game of the season Friday at Legion Field.

The seniors returned the favor by stepping up big to help the Mustangs win 23-1 to complete an undefeated season in Colorado 7 League play.

“This group is great,” Ortega said. “We grew up together. It’s been fun for all of us.”

Keller, making his 10th appearance this season on the mound, was rewarded with his first start to complete a stretch of four games in five days during the week. After giving up a run in the first inning, he settled in to retire nine of 11 hitters he faced in his final three innings of work to get the win.

“I went out there and just had some fun today,” Keller said. “I just go out there to pitch and to have some fun. It was a great experience getting to start today and it was a great team effort to get the win.”

Keller allowed one run off of two hits and a walk and struck out five batters in the start. Tolson retired the three batters he faced in the fifth inning, including two strikeouts.

The pitching and defense was solid, but the offense stole the show for the Mustangs Friday afternoon.

The onslaught began with McBride getting the first hit of the game, a three-run home run, to put the Mustangs in front. Austin Apple got the bunt down on a suicide squeeze bunt play to score a run, Connor Fajardo hit a sacrifice fly ball to drive in a run, and two runs scored on wild pitches to give the Mustangs an 8-1 lead hitting through the lineup in the first inning.

Those that hit for a second time in the first inning were just as successful, with JP Hamer getting a single and Isaac Linker hitting a two-run home run in his second appearance of the inning. Fort Morgan would finish the inning with 11 runs to take a commanding lead.

“Our offense is great and has really grown,” Ortega said. “I think the fact that we’ve all grown up and played together really helps.”

Tolson and Fajardo drove in the two runs for the Mustangs in the second inning while Ortega and McBride had the two RBI’s in the third. The offense went off again in the fourth inning to score eight runs, highlighted by McBride’s grand slam for his third hit of the game to finish with eight runs driven in.

“I’m just glad the guys in front of me got on base so I could drive them in,” McBride said. “I got a couple of good hits, but I couldn’t get those eight RBI’s if the guys in front of me don’t get on.”

Langford went with Tolson to throw in the fifth inning to get some work in before the Colorado 7 League tournament. The pitching depth helped the team get through four games during the week and will pay benefits for them moving forward, according to Tolson.

“It’s really helping us having four guys who can go out there and pitch,” Tolson said. “I’m not throwing nearly as many innings (as last season) and my arm is getting more rest, which helps. This helps us playing multiple games in a row to stay fresh.”

The Mustangs will play three games in the Colorado 7 League tournament next week at Legion Field, starting with the Conifer Lobos on Wednesday at 4 p.m. On Saturday, they will host the Weld Central Rebels at 9 a.m. and finish against the Fort Lupton Blue Devils at 4:30 p.m. More importantly, the Mustangs will try to finish in the top-12 of the RPI standings in class 4A to have a shot at hosting a regional tournament in May for the chance to move on to the state tournament. Entering Friday afternoon, they were ranked No. 10 in CHSAA’s RPI rankings.

“We need to keep hitting like we are and keep our momentum going,” McBride said. “We can’t overlook anybody. The teams we will play have the potential to be good. I think we’re in good position to win the conference tournament and hopefully continue in regionals.”